Control device



Dec. 11, 1928.

L. RUFFIO CONTROL DEVICE 1y 16, 1925 2 Shee Filed Ju INVENTORA BY I 4 g .ZTTORNEY Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

FFECE.

LOUIS RUFFIO, or new "roan, Y.

oonrnon DEVICE.

Application filed July 16, 1925. Serial No. 44,134.

This invention relates to control devices and more particularly is directed to a combined gas cook and motor switch control device for use in connection with apparatus for supplying a heated drying medium, such as air to hair dryers, and the like apparatus.

.Among the objects of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described comprising an improved unitary control means for simultaneously operating a gas cock and for regulating the motor speed, and which shall be simple in construction, easily and conveniently manipulated, cheap to manufacture, and practical and eilicient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction here inafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a portable gas-fired, air-heater and motor-driven fan dryer equipped with agas and motor speed control device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the dryer shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a device embodying the invention showing the switch in the off position and the gas cock shut;

Fig. i is a side elevational View corre sponding to Fig. 3 with parts broken awato show the construction of the gas cock;

5 is a plan view of the device including a diagrammatic view of wiring connection to the switch for controlling the motor p e Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary front elevatijonal views of the device showing the position of the gas cook open, and the switch in the first and fourth motor speed positions, respectively Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of a modified form of cam for controlling the gas sup- P y; d

F: 9 and it) are riot-vs slim-Whig a in orli form of the invention applied to a motor having a swingingdever type of switch for the speed control.

Referring to the drawing, the combination gas-cock and motor switch control device 10 embodying the invention is seen to comprise a gas cook 13, a suitable motor-control such as a snap switch 14;, and a. cam dial 15 having a finger key 16 interconnecting the switch 1% with a throw lever 17 of said gas cock. The switch and gas-cock are mounted on a suitable supporting block 18 so as to form a unitary structure.

The gas cook 13 is secured to the block 18 by straps 19 and may be of standard construction. Said cock is seen to comprise a casing 13 having threaded inlet and outlet ends 13 which may be arranged in the usual manner to connect with a suitable rigid gas supply piping system, or may be provided with bushing fittings 1 3 at each of the said ends 13 for receiving the ends of flexible extension tubing 20 and 21 as shown in Fig. 5. Accurately ground and fitting for rotation in the casing 13 is a conical cock member 22, said member having secured to its front or large end the throw lever 17 inwardly of which is locateda stop pin 23 for engaging the stop projection 24 on the casing 13 (see F ig. On the rear or small end of the. member 22, a suitable washer 22 and screw 22 are mounted for retaining said member 22 in proper operating position with respect to the casing 13 Thus turning the lever 17 of the member 22 against the action of a suitable spring such as a tension spring 25, from the normally closed position to its open position (see Figs. 3 and. 6) iseffective to align an opening 22 in said member with a through passage 13 in the cock casing 13 for permitting the flow of a or otherfiuid fuel to a heater burner 12 of a heating means 12 (see Fig. 1).

'The tension spring 25 has one end 25 thereof anchored on an offset stanchion 27 fixedly secured to the block 18 between the switch 14 and gas-cock 13 and has the other end 25 secured to the lever 17 as at 17 (See Figs. 3, a and 5'.)

The snap switch lit may be of any well known single or multiple point construction and as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, is represented to have one off and four intermediate contacts points {not shown) but correspondin to the usual al. numerals fl 3 and 4. which show through the window opening 14 in the switch cover 14 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5). These points, through conductor wires C, connect with a suitable control means, such as resistance S for regulating the speed of a motor M of the motor-driven blower or fan 11 for supplying air to be used for a drying medium. Mounted for movement beneath the free end of the cock-lever 17 and con nected to rotate with the finger key 16, is the cam dial which is formed preferably of sheet material having a series of spaced openings 15 through which one of the dial numerals of the switch 14 may show to indi cate the switch position, as will be readily understood. The cam dial 15 may be circularly shaped and have a cut away portion 15 to allow unrestricted passage of a bearing pin 28 projecting rearward from the lever 17 for permitting the action of the spring to swing the lever 17 to the closing position of the as cock when the switch is turned to the 0% position as shown in Fig. 3. A forwardly extending or front bearing pin 29 mounted on the cam dial 15 is provided for co-action with the cam surface 17 of lever 17 to swing open the cock member 22 rotating the cam dial 15 from the off position to the first switch point indicated by numeral 1, shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the latter figure showing the posit-ion of the parts as pin 29 engages the lever surface 17 The operation of the device will now be readily understood. With switch 14 in the off position and the other parts as shown in Fig. 3, the motor M for supplying the drying medium is started by rotating the finger key 16 clockwise until the snap switch 14 indicates numeral 1 and the gas is lighted at the burner 12 of the heater means 12. During this rotary movement of said switch, the front pin 29 engages the lever surface 17 thus simultaneously swinging the cock member 22 into its open position to permit passage of gas to the burner 12 and the rearwardly extending pin 28 engages the outer rim surface 15 of the cam dial 15 for retaining the cock member 22 in its full open position during the entire movement of said dial 15 excepting when the switch 14 is in its off position. The successive turning of the key 16 and the dial 15 increases the speed of the motor M and thereby increases the supply of drying medium, as will be readily understood. Turning the key 16 and dial 15 after it indicates numeral 4 as shown in Fig. 5, results in returning the device 10 to its initial condition, shown in Fig. 3, with the switch 14 in the off position, the spring 25 being effective to shut the cock when the pin 28 is released from the cam surface 15.

here it is desired to vary the quantity of fluid fuel to the burner 12 to correspond with the sup 31y of drying medium, the form of cam dial shown in Fig. 8 may be used.

Here the outer rim surface of the dial 34 is made to have spiral contour instead of being circular like cam dial 15 as shown in Fig. 3 so that the lever 17 is progressively swung to the right as the dial 35 is moved from numeral 1 to 4 thus permitting an increased flow offuel through the cock 13 to the heating means 12 as the speed of the motor M and supply of the drying medium is increased.

Figs. 9 and 10 show a modified form of the invention incorporating a swinging-lever type switch for the motor speed control. Here 34 denotes a switch lever which takes the place of snap switch 14 shown in Fig. 3 said lever 34 being adapted to progressively increase the speed of the motor when moved from the off point to contacts I, 11, Ill and IV in the base of the motor as is well understood. The cock 37 is constructed with a long finger 37 and short fingers 37 which are arranged to embrace the lever 34 when the latter is in the off position as shown in the full lines in Fig. 10. Swinging the lever 34 to the contact I starts the motor M and opens the cock 13. The short finger 37 at this point is below the level of the bottom side 34 of said lever 34; thus permitting unrestricted movement of the latter to contacts II, III and IV. On the return swing of the lever 34 from contact I to the off position the lever 34 engages the long finger 37 and simultaneously closes the cock to shut oft the gas at the cock.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent z-- 1. In combination with apparatus for supplying a drying fluid having means for producing a flow of said fluid and means for heating said fluid, said heating means comprising apparatus for using a fluid power medium, a device having a single operating means controlling the fiows of said drying fiuid and of said power medium, said means including a disc having a cut out portion and a tension member cooperating with said disc.

2. A heated drying medium supply appara tus comprising a motor, a blower driven by the motor, a switch for regulating the speed of the motor, a gas burner for heating air passing to the blower, a gas cock for controlling the supply of gas to the burner, a spring tending to rotate said gas cock, and a single control means for simultaneously operating said switch and gas cock, said means including a cam member for rotating the gas cock against the tension of said spring.

3. In a drying medium supply apparatus having a motor-driven tan and a heater for said medium, a unitary device comprising a switch for regulating the motor speed, control means for said heater and a single operating means including a cam connected to said switch and movably engaging control means.

4. A device ofthe character described comprising an electric switch to control the speed of a motor-driven fan for supplying air, and a gas cock to regulate the flow of gas to a burner for heating saidair, said switch having means movably engaging the cock to permit simultaneously operating said switch and cook.

5. In combination, two power sources, in dividual means controlling the flow of power from each source, and mechanism for simu1- taneous operation of said individual means, said mechanism including cammed members connected to each of said controlling means and'projections on each member, the projection on one of said members engaging said other member and vice versa.

6. In combination, a source of fluid power medium, another power source, individual controlling means for each of said power sources, and interlocking mechanism for pro viding simultaneous operation of said individual means, said mechanism comprising a cannned member attached to one of said means, a spring tending to rotate said member in one direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LOUIS RUFFIO. 

